Veggie Tostadas with Black Beans and Easy Guacamole

I screw up in the kitchen all the time, but as I’m biting into this scrumptious little piece of love that I call a veggie tostada, I know that I’ve picked the right career. These tostadas are perfect weeknight food- they cook up in a few minutes, people can choose their own toppings, and they’re delicious! Make things easy on yourself by purchasing store bought pico de gallo and even guacamole if you can’t find good avocados.

Dairy Free Option

Easy Entertaining

Vegetarian

Gluten Free

Ingredients

2 avocados

1 lime

kosher salt

1-2 cans black or pinto beans, drained

canola oil

8-12 small corn tortillas

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup shredded lettuce

cup pico de gallo

Preparation

To make the guacamole, put the flesh of two avocados in a small mixing bowl. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of kosher salt over them. (This will act as the abrasive when you’re mashing them, helping them break up more easily for you.) Using a fork or a pastry blender, mash the avocados until fairly smooth. Stir in the lime juice from ½ of a lime, taste, and use the other half if you’d like. Cover the guacamole with plastic wrap (pressing it down onto the surface of the guacamole to prevent browning), and set aside.

Heat the drained beans in a small saucepan over low heat. Taste and add a pinch of salt if they’re bland.

While the beans are warming, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add 1 or 2 of the tortillas and cook until crispy on the bottom, 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until crispy and the tortilla starts to buckle a bit, about 1 minute longer. Drain the tortillas on a paper towel to remove any excess oil. Also, you can sprinkle a little more salt on the tortillas for extra flavor. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. (If you’re making a bunch of these, you might want to use 2 pans to work quickly so they don’t lose their crunch. Keep them warm in a 200˚ oven.)

Now it’s assembly time! On each tortilla, place a large spoonful of the warmed beans, followed by 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese, a spoonful of the guacamole, 2 tablespoons of the lettuce (I like romaine), and a spoonful of pico de gallo (or your favorite salsa). Serve immediately.